Groupon 101: Help with Promos, Payments & More
Sometimes, it's handy to consult the manual. Consider this page Groupon 101, a list of answers to our most frequent questions, and a resource to make your shopping experience easy, seamless, and fun.
Maybe you're confused about the terms of a deal. Maybe your credit card isn't working and you're not sure why. Whether you're oh-so-close to buying a deal or just visiting our site for the first time, this manual can help.
To get started, scroll down to the topics below.
How can we help?
Choose the statement that best represents how you feel right now:
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"Hey! I'd like to gift this to someone. How does that work?"
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"Actually, I don't want this Goods product. How do I return it?"
If you're a business owner and want to know how does Groupon work for businesses, visit our Groupon Merchant platform to learn about multiple ways we can help grow your organization.
How to Use Promo Codes
You'll enter your promo code after you press the "buy" button. Click on "Promo or Gift Code" under "Order Summary," type in the promo, and press "apply."
If your promo code isn't working, it could be because of the following:
- Promo codes are case-sensitive. Make sure your code is upper case.
- Some promos are specific to a type of deal (for instance: restaurants, beauty/spa, travel, etc.). Check the fine print to see if this is the case for a specific deal.
- Some deals are excluded from promos. To see if that's the case, check the fine print. It might say "Offer is not eligible for promo codes."
- Some deals are always excluded, including Goods electronics, most gift-card deals, and deals that take you to a third-party site.
Now, would you rather just skip the promo codes and get extra savings every day? Then check out Groupon Select, our membership which gets you special benefits, including an extra 25% off local deals and free Goods shipping.
For more information on promo codes, click here or check out this video:
Where to Find the Fine Print
It's important to read the fine print if you're interested in buying a deal. That's where you can find terms and limitations, including limits on the number of Groupons you can buy, age requirements, and the expiration of the Groupon's promotional value.
- To find the fine print for a local deal, scroll down on a deal page and look below the "What You Get" section. (On the mobile app, Fine Print is located below the "Customer Reviews" section.)
- To find the fine print for a Goods deal, scroll down and look below the "Product Details" section. (On the mobile app, Fine Print is located below the "About This Deal" section.)
- To find the fine print for a Getaways deal, click on the "Fine Print & Details" tab, located below the main images. (On the mobile app, Fine Print is located by below "Amenities and Room Details")
- To find the fine print for a GLive deal, scroll down on a deal page and look below the "What You Get" section. (On the mobile app, Fine Print is located below the "About This Deal" section.)
- Click here for more info on where to find the fine print.
If Your Credit Card Doesn't Work
If you get a message that your credit card was "invalid" or "failed," take these steps:
- Check My Groupons to see if your order went through.
- Click "Edit Order" for that deal.
- Delete the card you used to buy the deal. You can either try a different card, or try to add the same card. Then, select this card to retry your purchase.
- If you continue to have issues, then contact customer support. If need be, we can purchase the deal for you!
- Click here for more info on how to complete this process.
How to Gift a Groupon
Sometimes you want to give a Groupon as a gift. No problem! Just follow these steps:
- On the deal page, click "Give as a Gift" under the Buy! button.
- Type in the recipient's name, email, and a message.
- Set the date and time to send the Groupon. You can send it immediately or have Groupon send the gift at the appropriate time.
- Alternatively, you can print out the Groupon to give in person. Simply click the "print" button once you click on "Give as a Gift"
- Click here for more info on how to gift a Groupon.
How Do I Redeem my Groupon?
So you've purchased a Groupon. Now you want to... you know, use it.
Local deals
If you’ve purchased a local deal, follow these steps:
- Check the My Groupons page.
- Find the Groupon you want to use and click "View Details."
- Under "How to Use," you'll find specific directions for redeeming your Groupon.
- For local deals, you'll likely either print out the Groupon or pull it up on our mobile app with no need to print. To do either, click the "View Voucher" button.
- For deals that require redemption on a merchant's website, you will find specific instructions on the voucher itself.
- Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to redeem your Groupon on a merchant's website.
Tickets & Live events
If you’ve purchased a ticket to a live event, like a concert or a sporting event, then follow redemption directions and pay close attention to the fine print. There are several different ways these Groupons are redeemed, including:
- Going to the My Groupons page and pulling up the voucher, which will serve as your ticket to the venue.
- Picking up your tickets from Will Call.
- Redeeming your tickets via the merchant’s website.
Getaways travel deals
If you’ve purchased a Getaways travel deal for a hotel, hotel staff should be able to pull up your reservation during check-in, but be sure to bring proper identification.
How to Track a Groupon Goods Package
If you've ordered a product from our Groupon Goods section, you can easily track that package as it goes from our warehouse to your door. Here's how:
- Log on to Groupon and find "My Groupons" on the top right-hand corner of the page.
- Find the product you want to track and click "Track Package."
- For a step-by-step guide to tracking your package, click here or watch this video:
How to Cancel a Purchase
Maybe you've changed your mind, or maybe you never intended to buy the Groupon in the first place. It happens. To cancel your Groupon, first, make sure it's possible. Start by finding your type of deal below:
- Local deals: Eligible for a refund within 3 days of purchase. If it's within one day of purchase, you can cancel on the My Groupons page. Otherwise, contact us.
- Goods deals: Eligible for a refund within 2 hours of purchase. Return within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. Items marked "Final Sale" are not eligible for returns unless defective.
- Getaways deals: Check the "Fine Print & Details" tab on the deal page for your deal's cancellation policy.
- GrouponLive deals: Check the "Fine Print & Details" tab on the deal page for your deal's cancellation policy.
If you've determined that you're eligible for cancellation, either contact us or follow these steps:
- To cancel, go to My Groupons, click "View Details" on your order, then click "Cancel Order."
- To update order quantity, click "Edit Order." Then, increase or decrease the quantity and click "Update Order." (Note: You can't update to a quantity of 0.)
- Click here for more info, including how to cancel using your mobile device.
How to Return a Package
If you wanna return Groupon Goods packages, the first thing to do is figure out where you entered your shipping address: Was it on Groupon.com, or a separate merchant? If it was on a separate merchant, you'll need to contact them.
If you entered your shipping address on Groupon.com, you can typically return the package if it's not labeled Final Sale and if it's within 30 days of purchase. To return the package, follow these steps:
- Go to My Groupons and click "View Details" next to the deal. (You must use a computer; mobile devices won't work).
- Click "Return Package," select a reason for the return, and print out a prepaid mailing label.
- Affix the label to your package and ship it to Groupon.
- Once we receive the package, you should receive a refund within 2 or 3 weeks.
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